


honey, i love you (that's all she wrote)

by kinselllas



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Minor Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Minor Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 08:04:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14160387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinselllas/pseuds/kinselllas
Summary: “Would you like to dance, Veronica?” He asks.It’s the first time he’s called her by her full name all day.OR Veronica and Jughead reunite at Cheryl and Toni's wedding.





	honey, i love you (that's all she wrote)

**Author's Note:**

> Foggy canon Season 2, minus all the Hiram drama. 
> 
> Veronica, Cheryl, Toni, etc. live in New York. Betty and Archie in Manchester (ofc) Jughead in Philadelphia.  
> *Yes, Jug's job is totally inspired by Jess Mariano. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Veronica picked up smoking in New York.

She knew it was a terrible habit, had read every study, seen every rotting lung, but she still hadn’t quit. She would, eventually. On her own time, when she’s ready. And maybe, she liked the aesthetic of her raven waves, wearing all black, cigarette between her fingers.

Anyway-

The rollers are pulling at her scalp, silk kimono hanging loosely around her body, and she takes a long drag. She jumps at the sound of footsteps entering the courtyard behind her. Her eyes widen at Jughead in his suit, black curls pushed back and out of his face. He plucks a cigarette from his own pack at gives her a small smile.

It’s been awhile, and they were never particularly close anyway-

“Hey, Ronnie,” he says, cooly.

She watches him fumble to light his cigarette and he takes a deep inhale, blowing the smoke up towards the clouds. It suddenly feels like so long ago that they were in high school, taking small jabs at each other and watching their relationships implode right before their eyes. Archie wanted so much from Veronica, and it turned out Betty was the only one that could give it to him. She watched Jughead take it all with an air of indifference, and secretly wondered how he handled it in private. She smashed a few pictures, burned the blue shirt, cleansed herself of any anger she might’ve tried to hold onto. Jughead had tried to convince her- _Maybe I’m just not in love with Betty anymore_ \- but Veronica never bought it, because everyone loved Betty, maybe even more than they loved _her._ Sometimes Veronica thought of herself as a concept, an idea, full of fantasy and imagination, but never deserving of any follow through.

That’s okay, she was better off on her own anyway.

“Jughead,” she nods, bringing the cigarette to her lips, “How’s Philadelphia?”

Last time she’d seen him, at the engagement party, he had just accepted a job at a small printing press for young artists. Betty and Archie were happy as ever, swiping through wedding pictures on their phones and beaming at each other the whole night. Jughead handed her a small plastic cup of wine and gave her a careless shrug.

_“Face it, Ronnie,” he said, gaze lingering on the blonde and redhead. “It was never going to be us.”_

“Bigger than Riverdale,” he says, and Veronica notes the glass of what appears to be bourbon in his other hand. “Overwhelming sometimes.”

Veronica smiles, a nod. “I know what you mean.”

He raises an eyebrow at her, “Says the girl who grew up in New York.”

“Okay,” she rolls her eyes, “I know it was only a few years, but Riverdale felt like _home_ to me. More than New York ever did.”

Jughead nods, but falls silent. She wonders if he thinks about everything he left behind. She imagines you can leave the Southside without ever truly escaping it.

“Did you see Betty and Archie in there?” she asks, tentatively. “I can’t believe Lila is almost two.”

She swears she catches him resisting an eye roll. But he offers, “She’s getting blonde.”

And Veronica, never being one to hold back, asks, “Does it bother you?”

“Nope,” he shakes his head, taking a swig of his drink. “Those two were written in the stars.”

And Veronica can remember that too, when Jughead and Betty broke up the last time- _the final time_. It had sparked an inane argument between Veronica and Archie that escalated within minutes, and she could feel herself losing him, shoving against his chest to ask, _“Why did you kiss her?”_ and Archie’s huff, already pulling away, _“I already told you, it was just a kiss! It didn’t mean anything!”_ She fired back, _“A kiss always means something!”_ And she remembers finally letting herself cry, a sob into her palm, because he couldn’t argue with her anymore.

“Does it bother _you_?” Jughead counters, to break up the silence.

Veronica follows his trail of smoke, watching it blend into the clouds. She meets his gaze, a tiny hint of amusement in his eyes. She finds that she’s shaking her head at him.

“Not as much as I thought it would.”

He reaches forward to tug one of the pins out her hair, catching the roller between his fingers and smirks at the springy curl that drops in front of her face. Veronica narrows her eyes and puffs a breath, tucking it behind her ear.

“This is a good look for you, Ron,” he says, and if she were taller she could muss up his perfectly coiffed locks in revenge. He always wore the smug look well. A soft silence hangs around them, and Veronica notices the sun trying to force its way out from behind the clouds. In the distance, she catches the sight of Cheryl in her ivory lace gown, reprimanding the wedding planner and ripping off her headset. She snorts a small laugh.

“Toni and Cheryl,” she says, a smile. “Who would’ve thought?”

Jughead nods, repeating, “Who would’ve thought.”

She drops her cigarette on the cement, crushing it with her heel. She still needs to finish getting ready for the ceremony. Jughead takes the final gulp from his glass and clinks the ice at her, nodding to the door.

He says, “See you in there?”

She smirks, “I’ll be there with bells on.”

 

 

Veronica’s handkerchief is covered in black and beige stains by the end of the ceremony. Toni looks like a goddess, rose gold hair pulled back in a thick braid and a pale blush dress glowing against her skin. Immediately after their first kiss as partners, Cheryl turns and wraps her arms around Veronica.

“Thank you,” she whispers, and Veronica wants to ask what for, but accepts it without question and returns the embrace.

Sweet Pea offers her his arm and Veronica takes it, strolling with him back down the aisle. She could never stop calling him Sweet Pea, even after high school. It was oddly amusing, Toni’s bridal party being nothing more than a group of suited young men. Veronica remembers resisting the Band of Brothers reference during the planning process.

“Going to save me a dance, Veronica?” he asks as they walk, and she always has to look up to even meet his gaze.

She gives him a small shrug, “If you’re lucky.”

Jughead throws his boutonniere at the back of Sweet Pea’s head.

 

 

At the reception, she catches Archie coming out of the bathroom with his tiny bundle of joy in tow. Lilahas Betty’s bright blue eyes and Archie’s broad smile. Her wispy curls have taken on a strawberry blonde color. Veronica wonders if the sight will ever not make her stomach twist. She knows, deep down, it has less to do with Archie, and more to do with what she doesn’t have. He shouldn’t get to break her heart and still have the perfect life without her.

“Ronnie!” He beams, and his grin is still as contagious as it was in high school. “There you are!”

His arms envelop her in an instant and she says, “Here I am.”

“How is everything?” Archie asks, pulling back. “You never visit.”

“No time,” she offers, a small shrug.

Meanwhile, Lila is reaching out to her, searching to be held. Archie bites back a smile at the gesture and offers her his daughter with earnest eyes. And really, she’s never been Aunt Veronica. She’s certain that’s what Archie and Betty always wanted her be, but she could never fill that role. She takes Lila in her arms and feels tiny fingers gripping at her waves of black hair.

Betty approaches in seconds, in a pretty pale pink dress that falls right above her knees. Her hair is shorter now, falling right at her shoulders, and Veronica can understand. Lila hasn’t stopped pulling her hair since she picked her up.

“Lila!” Betty screeches, a wide grin, “This is your Auntie V!”

Veronica bites back her cringe at the nickname and forces a small smile of her own. Betty whips out her phone and snaps a few pictures, nearly blinding Veronica with the flash. She hands Lila back to her mother and gives Betty a quick hug. Sometimes high school feels like another lifetime.

“You look great, Ron,” Betty says, eyes flickering over her. “It feels like years since we’ve seen you.”

Archie shrugs, “That’s because it has been years.”

Betty fires an elbow into his side and Archie throws his hands up innocently. Veronica watches Lila reach for her mother’s face, giggling warmly and crawling up her shoulder. She suddenly feels so far removed from their lives. They’re a family now. As much as they want her to be included in that, there’s a distance between them that she can’t close.

Veronica swallows, opening her mouth to fill the silence when Sweet Pea sneaks up behind her, hand at her waist. She jumps, offering him a grin and feels eternally grateful for the distraction.

“If I recall,” he says, leaning down to meet her ear. “You promised me a dance.”

Veronica bites down on her bottom lip to hide her smile, “Grab me a drink and I’ll consider it.”

Sweet Pea shoots her a wink and dashes off to the bar. Veronica excuses herself from Archie and Betty to make her way back into the banquet hall.

Meanwhile, the dance floor clears for Cheryl and Toni’s first dance. Cat Power’s _Sea of Love_ echoes around them and Veronica finds Jughead is standing at her side, drink in hand. Sweet Pea flanks theother side, handing her a glass of red wine. Cheryl brings her hand up to brush a few strands out of Toni’s face, and she’s struck by the intimacy between them. Toni whispers something that causes Cheryl to tip her head back in a laugh.

“Gives you hope,” Veronica says softly, eyes welling up with moisture. “Doesn’t it?”

Sweet Pea snorts, “That even monsters deserve love?”

Veronica’s elbow jabs him in the side.

“That there’s someone out there,” she continues, “For everyone.”

And she swears she can feel Jughead’s eyes lingering on her as she takes a sip of her wine. A few couples join them on the floor, including Archie and Betty, Archie’s hand resting at the small of her back. Their gazes are warm, nauseating.

In unison, Jughead and Sweet Pea ask, “Do you wanna dance?”

Never one to break a promise, she follows Sweet Pea out to the floor, offering Jughead an apologetic glance over her shoulder. He shrugs, but his gaze moves down to his drink.

After the song ends, the party starts. The music is loud and pulsing and Veronica’s champagne flute sloshes all over the floor. Sweet Pea throws Toni over his shoulder and her screams echo through the hall. Josie attempts to jump onto Veronica’s back and nearly knocks her over, Archie’s strong arms catching her. Her reflex is to pull away at his touch, and he offers her a sad smile. She knows he didn’t mean anything by it. Archie and Betty leave soon after, their daughter already asleep in her stroller. Eventually, it all gets to be too much, and Veronica sneaks outside for a smoke. There’s a gentle night breeze that blows her hair back over her shoulders and it’s a relief to breathe some fresh air.

She finds company in Jughead sitting under the dimly lit gazebo. His jacket is off, shirt sleeves cuffed to his elbows. The music from inside is playing from some rock-shaped speakers and _Moon River_ is quietly humming next to her feet. She doesn’t hesitate kicking off her heels and taking a seat next to him on the bench. It’s silent between them for awhile, alternating drags from their cigarettes. Jughead’s staring out into night, Veronica keeps her gaze down on her feet.

Jughead is the first one to speak.

“Do you ever feel lost, Ronnie?” He asks, voice gentle.

Veronica’s eyes fall closed and she nods, “More often than not.”

“At one time, Betty and Archie were my entire life,” he swallows, “I didn’t know how to exist without them.”

At one time, Betty and Archie were Veronica’s entire life too. They were her first friends at Riverdale. Whenever things in her life fell apart, Betty was right there, every time. Even when things ended with Archie, Betty’s arms were around her shoulders, soothing her as she cried. When Archie and Betty finally got together, Veronica found herself pulling away more and more, finding it painful to be around them. Cheryl became the closest thing she had to a best friend, and in turn, Toni as well.

“And now?”

“Now,” Jughead shrugs, a sip from his drink, “It’s like talking to strangers.”

Veronica nods, amazed that he can speak her exact thoughts. The silence lingers, but it’s comfortable. She doesn’t feel the need to fill it. Jughead sets his glass down and rises from his spot, offering her a hand.

“Would you like to dance, Veronica?” He asks.

It’s the first time he’s called her by her full name all day.

Veronica takes his hand and his fingers come to rest on her lower back. She shivers at the contact against her bare skin. She can’t remember Jughead being this sure of himself in high school, must come with age. She doesn’t hate it. She hums with the melody and Jughead’s fingertips tap along thenotches of her spine. Veronica wonders for a moment if this is a last ditch effort to grasp the past, hang onto whatever little pieces of their old selves they have left.

“So tell me,” he says, a smile. “How do Sweet Pea and I compare?”

Veronica giggles quietly, rolling her eyes. “What can I say?” she shrugs, “The man has rhythm.”

“Ronnie,” Jughead gasps, mocks offense. “Are you saying I don’t have rhythm?”

“You wouldn’t know rhythm if it bit you on the ass.”

She won’t admit that she had been watching him on the dance floor earlier, and while his moves wereincredibly dorky, they were also decidedly charming. She was suddenly envious of Toni, being blessed with a group of idiots that protected her like brothers.

“Ouch,” he concedes, and bites back his own smile.

The song winds down and Jughead’s hands linger on her back until she hesitantly pulls away. They wait for another song that never comes, and Veronica realizes the reception must be coming to an end. Jughead walks her to the front of the hotel in silence and she waves her fingers to signal a cab.

“When do you go back to Philly?” She asks, watching the yellow car pull up next to them.

He checks his watch and snorts a laugh, “Have to be at the airport in five hours, actually.”

Veronica’s eyes widen and Jughead opens the door for her.

“I’m staying here,” he takes a step toward her, “If you wanted to—“

“In or out?!” the driver yells, interrupting his sentence, “Ain’t got all night, Miss!”

Veronica swallows, and Jughead’s eyes flickers over her face. He’s waiting for an answer.

“In,” She snaps back, sliding into the backseat. She meets Jughead’s disappointed gaze, but he’s still wearing a smile. He pushes the door closed, and her driver starts the meter. Veronica fumbles to rollthe window down and beams back at him.

“If you’re ever in New York,” she says, “Give me a call.”

Jughead nods, biting at his bottom lip.

 

The car takes off down the busy street, and she barely makes it to the first intersection before her phone starts vibrating in her lap. Jughead Jones III flashes on the screen. She narrows her eyes in amusement before holding the speaker up to her ear.

“Yes?”

“Hi,” he says, “I’m in New York.”


End file.
